sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to sports betting crackdown
1 November 2018
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers.
Chancellor Philip Hammond said in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter into force in October 2019.
Ms Crouch said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue bettors.
She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but concepts remain with us forever."
Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had actually been "no hold-up in bringing forward this important step".
High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices
' I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting machines'
sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The federal government has rejected Labour claims that MPs had been led to think the cut would enter force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had been meant to be presented in April 2020.
But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, application of these changes are now being postponed till October 2019 due to dedications made by others to those with registered interests.
bet9ja.com
This Twitter post can not be displayed in your web browser. Please enable Javascript or attempt a different browser.View initial material on Twitter
The BBC is not accountable for the content of external websites.
Skip twitter post by Tracey Crouch
Allow Twitter content?
bet9ja.com
This short article contains content supplied by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is packed, as they may be utilizing cookies and other innovations. You may wish to read Twitter's cookie policy, external and personal privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content pick 'accept and continue'.
Accept and continue
The BBC is not responsible for the material of external websites.
End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch
"From the time of the announcement to reduce stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.
"In addition, 2 people will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."
She added: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers need to comply with collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your wishes associating with your own portfolio."
'God bless'
Among those applauding her on social media, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and courageous" adding: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."
Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of big credit not simply for her project however for sticking up for her concepts".
Fixed-odds sports betting terminals produce ₤ 1.8 bn in revenue a year for the sports betting market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the federal government.
bet9ja.com
Currently, individuals can wager as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the makers let players lose cash too rapidly, resulting in addiction and social, mental and monetary problems.
But bookmakers have cautioned the cut in stakes might result in countless outlets closing.
In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had listened to those who desired the changes to come into result quicker than April 2020 and "had agreed that the modifications should be in location within the year - by October 2019".
bit.ly
In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the modification to fixed-odds stakes would enter force next October at the exact same time as modifications to task charged on gambling companies based abroad however operating in the UK.
The government states co-ordinating the date of the two changes would imply the government would not be hit by a fall in tax earnings.
bet9ja.com
Who is Tracey Crouch?
The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, since 2010
She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015
She is known for her opposition to fox searching and her love of she is a certified FA coach
Grammar school informed at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University
She had worked for numerous Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election
She had her first kid in 2016 and is thought to have been the first Tory minister to take maternity leave
But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson implicated the federal government of "capitulating to the sports betting industry".
He applauded Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over good".
MPs from all sides of the House took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it should be talked about as part of the Finance Bill later this month.
Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
He informed the BBC: "There are a lot of people whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction ... We need to do this extremely rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's not right."
Labour has informed the BBC that they will put down a change to the Finance Bill to try and generate the changes next April.
1
Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over 'Delay' To Betting Crackdown
rochellelewort edited this page 2024-12-17 14:40:35 +00:00